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No. 230 Squadron RAF

No. 230 Squadron RAF
230 Squadron RAF.jpg
Active 20 Aug 1918 – 1 Apr 1923
1 Dec 1934 – 28 Feb 1957
1 Sep 1958 – 3 Dec 1971
1 January 1972 – 30 April 1992
4 May 1992 – present
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Air Force Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Air Force
Role Support helicopter
Garrison/HQ RAF Benson
Motto(s) (Malay): Kita chari jauh
(Translation: "We search far")
Equipment Westland Puma
Battle honours
  • Home Waters 1918*
    * Mediterranean 1940–1943*
    * Egypt and Libya 1940–1943*
    * Greece 1940–1941*
    * Malta 1940–1942*
    * Eastern Waters 1943–1945*
    * North Burma 1944*
    * Burma 1945*
    * Gulf 1991
    Honours marked with an asterisk (*) may be emblazoned on the Squadron Standard
Insignia
Squadron Badge In front of a palm tree eradicated, a tiger passant
The badge commemorated the Squadron's association with Malaya, and bears a striking resemblance to the older labels on the bottles on the local Singaporean brew
Squadron Codes FV (Apr 1939 – Sep 1939)
NM (Sep 1939 – Jan 1943)
DX (1942 – Dec 1942)
4X (Apr 1946 – Apr 1951)
B (Apr 1951 – 1956)
230 (1956 – Feb 1957)
D Carried on Pumas (Odiham)

No. 230 Squadron is an RAF squadron, currently based at RAF Benson. The squadron was part of Royal Air Force Germany, operating the Puma HC.1 there from 1980. Following the drawdown at the end of the Cold War, the squadron disbanded on 30 April 1992. This was short-lived however and the squadron reformed at RAF Aldergrove on 4 May 1992, again with the Puma HC.1.

The squadron is well experienced in night flying; almost a third of flights are undertaken after dark. The 2004 Future Capabilities chapter of the UK Defence White Paper, Delivering Security in a Changing World announced a plan to reduce the squadrons Puma force by 6 helicopters. It was announced in late 2008 that the squadron was to move to RAF Benson by 2010. The Squadron re-equipped with Puma HC Mk2 in 2014 following removal from service of the Puma HC Mk1.

No. 230 Squadron was formed on 20 August 1918 at Felixstowe, consisting of three Flights. No.327 and 328 Flight used Felixstowe F.2 and F.2A flying boats and Fairey IIIs for maritime reconnaissance, whilst No.487 Flight flew Sopwith Camels on escort duties. At the end of World War I the squadron was retained as one of the few RAF coastal units. In 1920 the squadron got Felixstowe F.5 flying boats, and it moved to RAF Calshot in May 1922, where on 1 April 1923 it was renumbered to 480 Flight RAF.

On 1 December 1934 No. 230 Squadron was reformed at RAF Pembroke Dock with Short Singapore flying boats. The Squadron used the Singapore till 1938, serving from Aboukir, Alexandria, Lake Timsah and after a short return to the UK, RAF Seletar. On 22 June 1938 the first Short Sunderland flying boat arrived, the aircraft the Squadron would be equipped with for the next 20 years, in fact until 28 February 1957 when the Squadron was disbanded at Pembroke Dock.


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Wikipedia

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